The present invention relates generally to orthopaedic implants used for the correction of spinal deformities, and more specifically, but not exclusively, concerns apparatuses placed within the intercostal space of two ribs to allow for deformity correction or healing of the spinal column.
To secure and treat spinal deformities, including scoliosis, it is a generally accepted practice to place implants adjacent to or into the vertebrae to produce loads for correcting an abnormal curvature of the spine and to maintain appropriate vertebral support for the healing of the implanted bone fusion material.
Typical spinal implant systems are implanted through a posterior approach to the spinal column and utilize a rod as the support and stabilizing element connected to a series of two or more bone fasteners that have been inserted into two or more vertebrae. The connections between these components are then secured, thereby fixing a supporting construct to multiple levels in the spinal column.